Taqueria Atotonilco

Nearly every Monday night, my friend and I will take a trip down to Atotonilco for some amazingly cheap and delicious Mexican food in the heart of Pilsen.
Driving over from UIC with some necessary cash in our hands, we come and grab tacos, tortas, and horchatas on the go. The design and layout is simple. You walk in, order your meal at a counter, and dine in or out. Tacos here are $ 2.75 while tortas are $ 5.
My favorite order so far has been their Milanesa torta. Now I love my street tortas from LA and Mexico, so how does Atotonilco compare to those spots? Pretty damn high! My torta had a crispy slab of milanesa with plenty of avocado, shredded lettuce, onions, and salsa. I loved every bite of this and can’t wait to come back for more!
The service here is very friendly and understanding too. One time, they accidentally skipped over my friend’s order, but were kind enough to add in an extra taco as an apology. They’re the real deal here.
To top it off, there is a dedicated parking structure right next door just for you.

I grew up eating tacos from Atotonilco. I would usually go to the one on 57^th and Kedzie on the south side of Chicago. I love their tacos de lengua, al pastor, and carne asada. After 15 to 20 years of eating their tacos I learned how Atotonilco is one of the real Mexican Restaurants (Taquerías) The way they make their tacos is by simply dipping two corn tortillas in oil and cook them while cooking the meat. I recommend this place for real tacos, tortas, etc.

BEST TACOS OUTSIDE OF UR MAMAS KITCHEN. My favs are the barbacoa & carne asada. As good as Little Village (26^th St) location… dare I say better! Be warned, CASH ONLY — NO CARDS, They have an ATM; limited menu, tacos & tortas best.
Great small, no frills taco spot with razor sharp eats that always leave you yearning for mas. YOU WILL GET ADDICTED TO THESE TACOS & TORTAS.

I love this place. Next time we visit Chicago we won’t leave without stopping here for Tacos. Service was excellent, food was ready quick and delicious.

I ordered a taco al pastor but it seemed more like a carnitas taco. It was simple and dry, there was no sauciness, tanginess, cilantro, hints of pineapple or onions. Perhaps this is a version I’ve never had or my order got mixed up.
$ 3 for such a small portion was also disappointing.
I felt gypped.

I am Mexican and I love Tacos! This is the place! The tacos de asada with onion and cilantro with the meat well chopped are to die for! And the milkshakes are awesome too! Banana chocolate! Yum

My family lived in Chicago Lawn neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago for some years, so we would visit the other Atotonilco on Kedzie & 57^th growing up. Now that I live closer to downtown and haven’t had Atotonilco in a while, we decided to come to this come to this location for a family meal while we were all reunited in Chicago. There were 8 of us but this location is spacious and was able to easily accommodate us. It’s CA$H ONLY, but there is an ATM.
We were given two tubs of the Mexican-​style Hot Pickled Carrots, Onions, and Peppers before we ordered. I wish more Taquerias would offer this w/​o asking. Our extremely nice server took our order on a tablet (I didn’t know they were this high-​tech yet no do not accept Credit Cards) and you basically had two options: tacos or tortas; or both.
I have such fond memories of the tortas at Atotonilco since that’s what they do well. Growing up, my dad would bring us to Atotonilco at least 3 times a week and he would always order the Lengua Torta with a Papaya Milkshake so this place was bringing back some memories. The smell and atmosphere was exactly like the original Atotonilco we grew up going to.
We ordered a bunch of tacos, a bunch of tortas, a bunch of milkshakes and everything looked and tasted exactly as I remembered. The bread is unique to Atotonilco and even their avocado still has the distinct flavor and creaminess that you only get here. Atotonilco on 57^th was where I actually tried avocado for the first time 20+ years ago. Their milkshakes are also what they’re known for and are made to order.
The one standout was the Atotonilco Taco (special steak). I’ve never had it before and it was almost like a taco/​gyro mashup. It included a creamy queso fresco/​sour cream/​tzatziki sauce with onion and tomato. These are the exact same components of gyro except they use steak for the meat and a tortilla instead of the pita. It was delicious and unique.
Not only was the food extremely fresh and delicious, it came out within a minute. I mean, it was blazing fast. The tablet ordering process helps expedite the orders so if you’re in rush, this is your place. Even if you’re not in a rush, this is your place for some perfectly prepared tacos, tortas and milkshakes. I am thankful for this Pilsen location closer to me now — it’s like I’m permanently reunited with another family member.

Rosa J. has had enough with the «north-​side» Chicago inflations on tacos, tortas, and menudo. Therefore, she and hubby voyaged down to the south side. Taqueria Atotonilco was bookmarked based on a Pilsen co-worker’s recommendation.
This place is very ideal for a quick lunch, snack, or dinner. Cash is the only acceptable form of payment. However, an ATM, with a sub-​charge of $ 2.50, is available if your cash has been unjustifiably taken by the CTA Ventra machine.
I would like to introduce you «Taqueria Atotonilco» in a PowerPoint format:
Slide #1: menu
It’s simple. Tacos and tortas are the main staples, with menudo (fines de semana). Grande-​sized menudo costs $ 6.50 (as of 09/​20/​2015). Most tacos cost around $ 2.50; most tortas cost approximately $ 5.00. Horchata, Jamaica, and jugos are also available.
Slide #2: speed of service
It’s fast for both dine-​in and take-​out orders. My bowl of grande menudo was delivered to our table within three (3) minutes, so was hubby’s torta de aguacate.
Slide #3: pros
— delicious complimentary pickled veggies
— affordable ($ 15 and some change for both of us)
— clean facility and comfortable atmosphere
— free parking for customers in their lot adjacent to the taqueria
— accessible via CTA bus #60 (Blue Island/​26^th. St.)
Slide #4: cons
— cash only (doesn’t bother us)
I know there are other locations of Taqueria Atotonilco in the city and suburbs. My experience with this Pilsen location was very positive.

Seriously, awesome food. Very fast and courteous service. Clean place. Cash Only.

This place is in a sea of Mexican restaurants. There’s a lo to choose from over here.
Taco’s are tasty… but CASH ONLY.

I worked across the street from this place for 4 months. It was like I was carbing up for a marathon every day of my life. Note: I will never run a marathon.
Quick service, very friendly staff. Open basically all the time.
The tacos are decent. I don’t know if they blow my mind, but they’re cheap and they get the job done. I like that they offer avocado tacos and don’t skimp on the avocado. They also have egg tacos, so you could even pass this off as breakfast. Genius, guys.

So-​so tacos here. I like my al pastor spicy, tangy, and tender, and this was none of those. Don’t get me wrong, I still ate it, but I’ve had better.
The juice is delicious!
I can’t believe they don’t have chips here, though. WHY?!
The worst part is, our server was just so rude. He was hostile and very short with us the entire time. It’s ok to smile at your customers!

I been to different Atotonilcos but so far this is my favorite one, los tacos de asada and las tortas are really good. and the owner is really nice with the customers

AL PASTOR! AL PASTOR! AL PASTOR! Make sure you get the Al Pastor with anything you order. It’s the best in Pilsen that I’ve tried.
I ordered one al pastor quesadilla and one carne asada quesadilla, and the Al Pastor was out of this world. As I was waiting for my food, I saw the tortas come out and they looked delicious, I will be getting that next time I come.
A lot of the time when I go to Mexican restaurants, workers are normally short with me because I don’t speak Spanish and they aren’t fluent in English, so I won’t ask many questions and will just order. But the lady at the register spoke GREAT English, was VERY nice, and answered all my questions! Thanks nice Lady!

Goodness knows I’m one of those white folks that can’t properly pronounce the name of this place, but that didn’t stop me from my taco quest. I had a late lunch here on Saturday afternoon. First off, CASH ONLY, but there is an ATM inside. You can seat yourself anywhere available. The menu is posted in several places along the walls. Your choices are tacos or tortas. No burritos, no quesadillas, no enchiladas, no rice and beans, no entrees. Tacos, or tortas. Easy enough then to decide what you want.
I tried the al pastor, the goat, and the atotonilco special. The special comes with steak, onion, and tomato, and was tender and flavorful. Both the goat and the al pastor are served in a slightly spicy red sauce, and tender meat chunks. Honestly I could not tell which was the goat and which was the pastor, which I guess was ok flavor wise, but I like to be able to distinguish what I’m eating typically, especially with a goat taco that is less common among the neighborhood taquerias.
They also have milkshakes, which I did not try on this visit, but come in several fruit flavors like melon, banana, canteloupe, etc.
Service was quick and efficient, place was clean, prices were decent. Nothing outstanding or terrible either way.

Sadly disappointed. I was anticipating really good mouth watering tacos, and instead picked at them in hopes that the next bite might magically get better.
Glad I tried it, but I won’t go back.

Great tortas de milanesa. Ask for the Atotonilco taco special. Claudia de owner is on hand. Free Parking is a big plus. I highly recommend.
The best taqueria in Pilsen.

Decided to try this place after the great reviews on Unilocal!The four stars are seriously too hyped for what this place offers in flavor. I ordered 2 carne asada and 1 alpastor. The carne asada was very bland, lots of fat was left on it and it just didn’t taste good. The tortillas were so greasy and hard that all I tasted was the oil. I also got a tamarindo water and it was sour and also tasteless and room temp. The alpastor was not alpastor and it was drenched in sauce but the sauce was good. Would rather much go else where next time.

This city boasts hundreds of taquerias representing the best of Mexican cuisine. Yet when it comes to the best tacos in the city, I have to say this place is second to none.
A friend from Los Angeles suggested to give it a try. Now, normally I wouldn’t take notice of recommendations for tacos. But here’s the catch: Californians are infamous for bragging about the unique and special taste of Mexican food in LA. So I knew I had to come give it a try.
I am afraid he was right. Their taco al pastor is outright amazing. Their soft, tender meat melts in your mouth in a delightful sauce that leaves wonders. And their sauce and shells are made to perfection.
I have nothing bad to say about this spot. It’s simple, small and humble. But it reminds of you of everything that you love about food.
A+

I hate when I order greasy food and then GET greasy food! THE HORROR!
I was kind of jealous when Atotonilco opened up in a nearby suburb. Then I found out a new one was opening 2 blocks from home. Jealousy gone! It came back again briefly when I went in to order a burrito and found out that option wasn’t available here. It’s like they knew someone like me would want to add rice to it, so they just veto’d that idea altogether. That’s alright though, they make some pretty solid tacos.
I don’t remember what I ordered. I was like a kid in a candy store. Give me one of those, two of those, one of those, make that three. You order with the cooks, but the young man behind the counter saw the look of sadness and confusion on my face when he said they have no burritos, so he clearly took my order to save my sanity. That, and he probably knew I wasn’t going to speak spanish. I only do that when drunk without someone around to do it for me. Everyone in there was really friendly, and the wait was quick. No complaints there.
When I got home, I took a bite of everything and then promptly put the leftovers in the fridge. They were just as good later as they were fresh.
P. S. — What’s a «jelopeno»?